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Huffington, Drudge and Beck on Andrew Breitbart's Death

Andrew Breitbart, who died overnight at the age of only 43, had a wide circle of influence that belied the briefness of his time in the national spotlight. As big as his profile was on the right, where his sheer volubility and eagerness to engage made him one of the most prominent critics of liberal elitism, he was also instrumental in establishing the Huffington Post as a platform for leftist politics.

I asked Arianna Huffington for her thoughts on Breitbart, whom she met during her earlier incarnation as a Republican and later hired to help her launch the Huffington Post. Here’s her reply, via email:

All I can think of at the moment is what Andrew meant to me as a friend, starting from when we worked together — his passion, his exuberance, his fearlessness. And above all, what I’m thinking of at the moment is his amazing wife Susie and theirfour beautiful young children. My love and thoughts are with them right now.

Breitbart got his start in the world of news blogging working at the elbow of Matt Drudge, publisher of the Drudge Report. Drudge has posted a statement on his site about his late protege:

DEAR READER: In the first decade of the DRUDGEREPORT Andrew Breitbart was a constant source of energy, passion and commitment. We shared a love of headlines, a love of the news, an excitement about what’s happening. I don’t think there was a single day during that time when we did not flash each other or laugh with each other, or challenge each other. I still see him in my mind’s eye in Venice Beach, the sunny day I met him. He was in his mid 20′s. It was all there. He had a wonderful, loving family and we all feel great sadness for them today… MDRUDGE

Fox News host Greg Gutfeld, who appears on “RedEye” and “The Five,” knew Breitbart for years and had much in common with him: Both practiced a brand of conservatism that sought to be outrageous and funny instead of merely angry, and both forged their views in environments where they were vastly outnumbered by liberals (California, the media industry). Here’s what Gutfeld told me, via email, about Breitbart: “He was the smartest person — but also so generous, kind, funny. The sign of an immense personality is the hole it leaves behind. This one is bottomless.”

Meanwhile, Glenn Beck, who had a public falling out with Breitbart despite their overlapping politics, has been talking about him on his radio show this morning. “Andrew and I were not close. I met Andrew on several occasions, and it’s a shock that he’s dead,” he said. “We pray for him family, we pray for his children and we pray that his mission to expose those who need to be exposed continues.”

While Beck himself said he is not suggesting foul play, he acknowledged that such speculation is inevitable given the many enemies Breitbart made for himself with his gleeful crusading. “They say natural causes. I’m assuming there’s going to be an autopsy,” Beck said. “I urge you not to jump to any conclusions.”

Finally, I asked journalist Mark Ebner, Breitbart’s co-author on the 2004 book “Hollywood, Interrupted,” for his thoughts. “Andrew Breitbart left behind four beautiful children, a beautiful wife and extended family,” Ebner told me. “He was a generous friend, collaborator and one hell of a pundit. I guess his heart was just too big for this world.”

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When I wrote about the Shirley Sherrod incident (http://onforb.es/x4Z9Ej) I didn’t mention Breitbart because I preferred to focus on the positive aspect of the story: that all one needed to see the manipulation of the video of Ms. Sherrod’s speech, as presented by Breitbart, was a bit of intellectual rigor, as demonstrated by Elizabeth Scalia, a blogger on a website for religious issues.

The Shirley Sherrod incident raises an interesting question. Clearly, by most generally accepted definitions of the term attempting to ruin her career and reputation with heavily edited footage supporting specious accusations of racism was outrageous. But, until I read this article, I hadn’t previously imagined that it was intended to be _funny_. This is a fascinating new concept.

Good stuff. Also worth reading Elizabeth Spiers of the Observer’s brief post about his death: http://spiers.tumblr.com/post/18553204477/just-a-few-weeks-ago-this-landed-in-my-inbox. It sums up how I felt when I met him. I expected brash, irascible, etc – his public persona. He was friendly and helpful to a fellow reporter. I disagree entirely with much of his politics and some of his hateful screeds (Teddy Kennedy incident, e.g.) but I feel sorry for his colleagues and his family.

What the hell is “liberal elitism?” He was nothing more than the typical ranting right wing yeller reducing every complicated issue to a horrendously inaccurate sound bite that those uninterested in the time necessary to study an issue can quickly adopt as their position, and then move on feeling full of themselves for being so correct. His only interest was him.

I have nothing against those who believe in something or the other. Everybody has an opinion or two. The US constitution and the Bill of Rights guarantee that a person or persons stand up for their beliefs, from time to time or for the entire life.

I am sad that Andrew Breitbart has died so young. I don’t even remember when I was forty-three years old. I never met Andrew. Never learned more about what made Andrew a celebrity. Don’t care to know why he became famous.

Just in the daily routine that I have set up for myself, I found him doing something nasy. I don’t like nasty people. Most all nasty people I have known are conservatives, here in America and back in India.

They believe in wrong things. Bad things. They have nast attitude. That means they resort to wicked methods. I am not in favor of such methods. The only bad method I have ever used in my own writing is using fuckwords and the word, SHIT. Few times motherfuckers to address my conservative nemesis.

I do read. A lot. Nothing that I have written is from a standard, boiler-plate dogmatic mill. I admire conservatives. Some more than the others. I have read them too. The term is studied them. Many such noble people have died fighting for their causes. Not literally. They were in the ring, till their last breath, literally.